Helping your staff to succeed

Besides obtaining external funds for your staff's training and development, it is also important to remember that there are ways in which you can support your staff directly. Research carried out by the AAT found that student members who receive support and whose employers are kept informed of their progress are 40% more likely to succeed.

It makes sense. Supported staff will be better motivated and feel a greater sense of loyalty to their employer. This benefits you directly by improving staff retention and indirectly by demonstrating your reputation for being a good employer.

A recent survey of AAT Technician student members found that 79% receive some form of support from their employers, with 78% paying college fees and 60% paying the AAT membership fee. In addition to offering support in terms of fees, some employers also run incentive schemes, rewarding staff for success in their studies. Our survey found that 18% of employers offer AAT student members some sort of bonus or reward on completion of the qualification.

Some ways in which you can help your staff during their training, and so increase their chances of success include:

• day release / study leave (e.g. letting staff study without using up holiday);
• block release;
• payment of college fees;
• payment or the supply of support material such as textbooks, professional magazines or study aids;
• payment of the AAT annual membership fee;
• help in portfolio building (the portfolio contains work based evidence and is part of the assessment process;)
• experience in other departments or sections (for instance by job shadowing or job swapping)
• coaching and mentoring, offering technical accountancy help and guidance. This can be especially important for those not used to training or who have lacked confidence.

If you'd like more information on other ways to support your staff and increase motivation, you can order the AAT's Employer information Pack, or take a look at our Tips and best practice section for useful articles on mentoring and getting the most out of your staff.